Points well taken Thomas. I respect your experience, which is obviously way beyond my own. I was just reprensenting an alternate view point and there certainly are some spongy areas there that you pointed out and of which I was aware of when composing that simplistic response. Probably most important is the generation of open dialogue on an important subject which helps us form our view points and guides our actions.



One issue I would like to clarify though is that the refinement over eons comment was meant in respect of the fact that organisms form in nature to what they are through long periods of time in response to environmental challenges and so ultimately represent genetic success. I didn't mean to say that you can't muck up superficial characteristics such as color/pattern over a couple generations but such will not have been selected for under rigorous natural conditions. I don't have a problem with that but this artifice generally does not satisfy my particular aesthetics. Heck, if albinism was beneficial to a species why is the trait so rare?



As for the "tainted" comment...sure, line breeding does in effect taint as species but at least for the expression of its natural genetic potential (sure I'll get blasted for this



Thanks for your informed and thoughtful response.



Oh, and just for the record, I do keep a lucy S. Pine and a couple Stillwaters so who am I too spout this b.s.

[ Show Entire Thread ]